Fantastic Floral Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another great 'birthday' card.

The card base is Craft Smith.  The printed paper is Graphic 45 layered on Stampin’ Up Dusty Durango.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Happy Birthday stamped in Stampin’ Up Early Espresso on an ivory of unknown origin and layered on more Dusty Durango.  The ribbon is Michael’s Celebrate It.

This is another great piece of printed paper!  The images are perfect for a smaller card and the colours are just wonderful.  Normally I would have paired this paper with a green drawn from the leave but I found this deep rust colour is beautiful.  I used my MISTI to stamp a bunch of sentiments at once and was happy I had because it really does save a lot of time.  I love the ribbon to the left of the sentiment, again, the darker rust looks great.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Lily Impressions Birthday Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another set of Stampin' Up 'birthday' cards.

The card bases are Stampin’ Up Blackberry Bliss, Bermuda Bay and Petal Pink.  The printed paper is Stampin’ Up Lily Impressions layered on Blackberry Bliss, Bermuda Bay, Petal Pink, Granny Apple Green, Coastal Cabana, Gorgeous Grape, Pretty Peacock, Highland Heather and Strawberry Slush.  The sentiments are Close To My Heart Joyful Birthday stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on more Blackberry Bliss, Bermuda Bay, Petal Pink, Granny Apple Green, Coastal Cabana, Gorgeous Grape, Pretty Peacock, Highland Heather and Strawberry Slush.  The embellishments are Stampin’ Up White Organza ribbon, Michael’s Melodies and Lace Pearls, Multicrafts (purple ribbon), white pearls of unknown origin, Stampin’ Up Iridescent pearls and Crafts Rhinestone Stickers.

From the moment I saw this designer series paper, I've loved it!  The colours are just wonderful and I find the style extremely appealing.  I took advantage of the paper to use as many different solid colours as possible and I wasn't at all disappointed in the results.  Though I only used two of the four sentiments in the Close To My Heart set but all four are fantastic and well worth having in a stash.  I had a lot of fun choosing embellishments and layouts because the possibilities were just endless.  I'm so pleased with the results.

I hope you enjoy these cards and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Vintage Gardens

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is a pair of lovely vintage-styled garden 'birthday' cards.

The card bases are Recollections Vanilla Linen Texture.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Close To My Heart Desert Sand and a light pink Core’dinations.  The sentiments are Close To My Heart Happy Birthday stamped in Altenew Industrial Diamond on an ivory of unknown origin, layered on more Desert Sand and light pink, and highlighted with Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  The green/sage ribbon is from Michael’s while the other is of unknown origin.

This pair are some favourites in this commission.  I really love the printed paper and used different but similar elements to show it's versatility.  There were lots of options for colour coordination but I really like pink/green/beige together.  The browns of the second card are just great too.  Both are truly wonderful results.

I hope you enjoy these cards and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Summer Fresh Wishes

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is another very pretty 'birthday' card.

The card base is Recollections White Linen Texture.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin’ Up Hello Honey and Almost Amethyst.  The sentiment is Stampin’ Up Happy Thoughts stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on more Hello Honey and Almost Amethyst.  The ribbon is Michael’s Sheer Creations.  The daisy embellishment is of unknown origin.

I really love this printed paper because it has me thinking of summer and I'm more than ready to be done with snow and cold!  The scale of the images are just perfect for cards.  I love the colours and was thrilled to find this rainbow organza ribbon in my stash.  The daisy button embellishment was another bonus find.  The coordinating colours seem much more stark/harsh in this photo than in reality but I know my photo skills are limited so you'll have to trust me.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Birthday Iris

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another great 'birthday' card.

The card base is Recollections White Linen Texture.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin’ Up Blackberry Bliss.  The sentiment is Stampin’ Up Happy Thoughts stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White.  The ribbon is of unknown origin.  The pearl embellishment is from Michael’s.

I've crafted quite a few cards with this paper and they are all beautiful!  I chose the darker Blackberry Bliss for layering which is different from the other cards but I quite like it.  I drew on the dark purple depths of the purple iris and while it's not a perfect match, it does make all the other elements pop.  I'm not too fussy on the ribbon, which I've also had for eons, but it is glittery and works with the glitter on the printed paper.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Elegant Butterflies

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a pair of elegant 'birthday' cards.

The card bases are The Paper Studio and Recollections Vanilla Linen Texture.  The printed paper is K & Company Butterfly Collage layered on a brushed silver of unknown origin and, Close To My Heart Charcoal and more Recollections Vanilla Linen Texture.  The sentiments are Stampin’ Up Here’s a Card both stamped in Altenew Pure Graphite and Industrial Diamond on Recollections Vanilla and an ivory of unknown origin layered on more brushed silver and Charcoal.  The ribbon is Michael’s Special Value.  The embellishments are Close To My Heart Licorice Opaques.

My process for crafting these cards was to prepare the printed paper, card bases, envelops and some sentiments for all 200 cards before adhering all the elements and adding embellishments.  As I was starting the latter part of the process, I realized I had duplicated a number of printed papers so I decided to post them as pairs.  I actually love showing how similar elements can result in very different cards.  In this case, I really love this Butterfly Collage paper which offers any number of options for color coordinating.  It is great to show the horizontal and vertical results.

I hope you enjoy these cards and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle  

Silver Snowflakes

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is a wonderful shiny snowflake Christmas card.

The card base is Recollections Vanilla.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Recollections Silver Foil and a vanilla of unknown origin.  The sentiment is Verve Bright Spirits stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections Vanilla.  The ribbon is from Michael's.  The snowflake embellishment is of unknown origin.

I crafted a couple of hundred Christmas cards for the senior's residence this year which gave me an opportunity to use some sentiments that I've really used.  This one from Verve is wonderful but a little awkward in terms of size and layout.  I was grateful for this tag punch because the sentiment fit perfectly.  It also facilitated this great layout.  A wonderful result.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

A Leafy Riot

 Hello everyone,

Today's post is yet another lovely 'thank you' card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Bravo Burgundy.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Bumble Bee.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Thank You Messages stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Bravo Burgundy and Bumble Bee.  The ribbon is Michael's Celebrate It.

This is another fantastic piece of printed paper.  The colours are perfect with lots of options for choosing coordinating solids.  I chose burgundy and yellow because I really love the way they work together.  The scale of the leave is absolutely right for a card.  I used a copper coloured ribbon but really could have picked any one of the colours from the printed paper and it would have looked just as good.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle 

Sympathetic Silhouette

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a great monochromatic sympathy card.

The card base is a green Bazzill and Recollections Vanilla.  The image is Stampin' Up Just Believe stamped in Close To My Heart Heather on Recollections Vanilla.  The sentiment is Gina K Framed Greetings stamped in Close To My Heart Slate on Recollections Vanilla and layered on Slate and more Vanilla.  The ribbon is Michael's Special Value.

This is a favourite image for sympathy cards.  The silhouette is wonderful and it works great for monochromatic cards.  I goofed when scoring the card base so I added the vanilla strip on the right edge.  I think it fixed the problem perfectly.  I just needed to be sure to use the same 'vanilla' for the rest of the card.  It's a great result.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Sunny Thank You

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a bright and happy 'thank you' card.

The card base is Recollections White.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Stampin' Up Crushed Curry.  The sentiment is Recollections stamped in Altenew Jet Black on Recollections White and layered on more Crushed Curry and Daffodil Delight.  The ribbon is from Michael's.

I thought this paper was perfect for a 'thank you' card.  It's so bright and cheerful!  I don't always find yellow an easy colour with which to work but this was pretty easy.  The layout is very simple.  The most difficult aspect was finding the right shade of solid yellow with which to coordinate.  A great result!

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Fabulously Feathered

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a great all purpose card.

The card base is Stampin' Up Whisper White.  The printed paper is Stampin' Up Birds of a Feather layered on Summer Starfruit and Island Indigo.  The Island Indigo layered was stamped with a Michael's feather stamp and heat embossed with Fun Stamps peacock glitter embossing powder.  The sentiment is Lizzie Anne Say It In Script stamped in Altenew Galactic Stream on Whisper White and layered on more Summer Starfruit.  The printed paper is highlighted with Diamond Stickles

My neighbor works at a long-term care center and is having a rough go of things, to say the least.  She is always cheerful and smiling so I thought this card word be perfect for her.  I love all the colours in this designer series paper and have used it very sparingly over the years.  I love the heat embossed feathers on the bottom layer, they work perfectly with the feathers in the printed paper.  I hope this card makes her smile!

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Winged Triptych

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another lovely birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The printed paper is K&Company Emma layered on green Core'dinations.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up Take Three stamped in Soft Suede on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more green.  The ribbon is from Michael's.  The embellishment is Kaisercraft December 25th pearls.

This is another really pretty card in this commission.  I love the images against the written background.  I didn't plan on the ribbon when I was pulling the elements together but thought it was a nice addition.  I think the simple knot to the left of the sentiment is just the right touch.  I picked up this stamp set second hand eons ago but just never got around to using it.  It's perfect for this card.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Simple Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a wonderfully simple birthday card.

The card base is Recollections White.  The printed paper is BoBunny Primrose layered on Stampin' Up River Rock.  The sentiment is Verve stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The ribbon is Michael's Sheer Creations.  The embellishments are Recollections.

This is another very simple birthday card.  The printed paper is beautiful and allowed enough space on which to stamp the sentiment.  The offset knot of the ribbon is offset as are the five simple gems.  Elements in threes are always pleasing from a design sense and that they're in the 'sweet spot' makes it even more appealing overall.  It's a fantastic result.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Lovely In Lilac

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a lovely vertical birthday card.

The card base is The Paper Studio.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Close To My Heart Gypsy and Stampin' Up Mossy Meadow.  The sentiment is Impression Obsession Vertical Greetings stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on Recollections White and layered on more Mossy Meadow.  The embellishments are Michael's.

I've always been drawn to a purple and green colour combination.  This printed paper not only uses both but the long delicate stems prompted the vertical aspect of this card.  I don't have that many vertical sentiments and this one is really fun.  The pearl embellishments are fairly large so I wouldn't be able to use them for a mailed card.  I do love how they accent the sentiment.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Fashionably Vintage

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another lovely birthday card.

The card base is Craft Smith.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Close To My Heart Ruby.  The sentiment is Close To My Heart Joyful Birthday stamped in Stampin' Up Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Ruby.  The ribbon is Michael's Sheer Creations.  The pearl embellishment is of unknown origin.

I've used this paper for a birthday card previously and love it more each time I use it!  This particular piece was perfect for a vertical card.  I love the variety of colours in the paper and chose to use a smoky red to match the roses for layering.  This is a layout I've used many times before.  I love adding the sheer ribbon and though the brad is bulking, this card won't be mailed so I didn't have to worry about bulk.  It's a great result!

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Aviary Sympathy

Hello everyone,

Today's post is another sympathy card.

The card base is Recollections Kraft.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Close To My Heart Sorbet and Stampin' Up Early Espresso.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Say It All stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Sorbet.  The ribbon is Michael's Holiday Ribbon.

I love the colours in this printed paper.  The dark peach and browns work perfectly with the Kraft card base.  I've used scraps of this paper before and, if I remember correctly, also paired it with Sorbet and Early Espresso.  I thought placing the ribbon on the vertical was inspired.  This particular ribbon application is pretty flat which is important as these cards will likely be mailed so they can't have any extra bulk.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Especially Vintage III

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the third of four vintage cards I crafted for a colleague.

The card base is Recollections.  The vintage paper is of unknown origin layered on a teal Bazzill and Stampin' Up Pear Pizzazz.  The sentiment is cut from Close To My Heart Eggplant with a Crafter's Companion Die'sire Happy Birthday die.  The embellishments are Michael's Pastel Damask pearl stickers.

This is not at all close to the card that I envisioned when I started.  I'd planned to use one of the wildflower Thinlits dies and actually had one cut but couldn't come up with a placement that was pleasing.  I decided instead to use a die cut sentiment in a colour that worked with the watercoloured flower.  A much better choice.  It also too me an age to choose embellishments.  I didn't want to use Stickles again but finding these pearls in my stash was no easy task.  All that said, this is a great result.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Teacup Wishes

Hello everyone,

Today's post is the last French birthday card I've crafted to replenish my stash.

The card base is Recollections.  The printed paper is of unknown origin layered on Joy Crafts gold.  The sentiment is Bonnidee French Wording #1 stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.  The ribbon is Michael's Sheer Creations.  The flower embellishment is of unknown origin highlighted with Fruit Punch Stickles.

There is something about these teacups that I found particularly appealing.  It must be the tea drinker in me.  I layered with gold because the cups are highlighted in gold.  The ribbon was a challenge to find because I didn't have anything pink or teal that worked.  This particular ribbon is a rainbow of colours and works very well.  I chose to stamped the sentiment right on the printed paper because there was a perfect about of space for it.  A great result.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Wild Anniversary

Hello everyone,

Today's post is an anniversary card that was commissioned by a colleague of my husband.

The printed paper is BoBunny Jungle Life Wildlife layered on Stampin' Up Early Espresso.  The sentiment is Inkadinkado stamped in Early Espresso on Recollections Vanilla and layered on more Early Espresso.  The ribbon is Michael's and the gold heart brad is of unknown origin.

The only hints I received for this commission was elephants.  This was a bit of an issue as I've one elephant stamp and it's a distinctive baby stamp.  I don't generally do elephants (pandas, yes) and I wasn't keen on buying an elephant stamp for a single card.  I did borrow a stamp from a friend and stamped some images to keep for any future commissions.  I found this wildlife paper at my local stamping store and thought if I trimmed it carefully the elephants would be prominent.  I have to say, as hard as this card was to craft, the results are pretty decent.  My husband's colleague was pleased and that's what counts.

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle

Poinsettias And Plaid

Hello everyone,

Today's post is a Christmas card that uses stamped images that I found in my stash of leftover pieces.

The card base is Recollections Black.  The printed paper is Photoplay Made 4 Plaid Christmas layered on Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler.  The images are Stampin' Up Watercolor Winter stamped on Whisper White in Versafine Onyx Black, and Stampin' UP Mossy Meadow and Cherry Cobbler.  The poinsettias are highlighted with Mercury Glass Stickles.  The sentiment is Hero Arts Clear Stamp Set also stamped on Whisper White with Versafine Onyx Black.  The ribbons is Michael's and the brad is American Crafts.

I love this Stampin' Up set.  It's a two-step stamp that is really quite easy to use and is just striking when stamped.  I can't figure out why I'd not used it earlier but suspect it was an extra from a square card.  I took advantage of the red to use more of the sheer red Michael's ribbon.  Instead of using an embellishment, I was inspired to place the sentiment on the knot.  It was a bit tricky to level it properly so it would get crushed.  A great Christmas card!

I hope you enjoy this card and come back to SPI again soon.

Gisèle